Bag fastener



W. C. HIERING Nov. 21, 1933.

BAG FASTENER Filed July 6, 1952 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 21, 1933 QFFICE 1,936,056 BAG FASTENER William C. Hiering,Millburn, N. .L, assignor to J. E. Mergoth Company, Newark, N. 1., acor-- poration of Delaware Application July 6, 1932.

(Cl. 292-67) g 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in fastening devices for framemembers such as are used in hand bags.

The usual fastening devices for frame members generally are unfastenedby a' movement of the parts of the fastening device laterally relativeto the frame members, and are easy prey for pickpockets andsurreptitious opening of hand bags.

Also, the lateral movement of the fastening members is unwieldy in manyinstances, and generally such fastening devices rely upon the resiliencyof the frame members for their effectiveness. Obviously, as the framemembers become loose and lose their resiliency, the latching devicesbecome ineffective.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fastening device for handbag frame members which may be easily manipulated, and whichnecessitates no lateral movement of the parts of the device or relianceupon the resiliency of the frame members for its effectiveness.

A further object is the provision of a fastening device of simplestructure which can effectively be applied to various types of hand bagframe members without alteration of the frame members.

These and other advantageous objects, which which will later appear, areaccomplished by the simple and practical construction and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and exhibited in the accompanying drawing,forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hand bag embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the position of parts of thefastening device when holding bag frame members together,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an element of the device, and

Fig. 4 is an exploded view showing details of the fastening device.

Referring to the drawing, in Fig. 1 is shown a pair of outwardly openingchannelled frame members 3 and 4, which are of substantially U- shape,and hingedly connected.

Positioned in the channel of the longitudinal section of member 3 andextending approximately the length thereof is a plate 5 having integraltherewith lugs 6, which pass through suitable 50 apertures 6' in thebottom 7 of the channel 3, and are upset to secure the plate to theframe member. The plate is positioned close to but not secured to theinner side wall 8 and is spaced from the outer side wall 9 by lugs 10stuck out from the plate.

Serial No. 621,034

The center of the plate 5 is cut away at 11; and pivotally connected toa projection 12 on the plateis a link 13. A second link 14 is pivotallyconnected to the plate at 15; the pivots points 12 and 15 are spacedapart a distance greater than the length of the links 13 and 14, whichare of equal length.

Pivotally connected at its ends to the upper ends of links 13 and 14 isa downwardly opening channelled member 16, which fits in the cutawaysection 11 when in fastening position; and which is adapted to straddlethe section 1'7 of the plate when in an unfastened position. It will beseen that member 16 is at all times parallel to the edge of plate 5, andforms with the plate and links 13 and 14, a parallelogram.

Attached by means of lugs 18 to the bottom 19 of frame member 4, andpositioned close to the inner side wall 20 thereof is a tab 21 which hasa portion 22 extending above and bent into the same plane as wall 20.

In operation, to latch the frame members, they are brought together andthe member 16 moved in position with its side walls embracing theportion 22 of the tab, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the form shown in the drawing, the member 16 is proportional so thatit exactly fills the gap in the plate 5, and has its upper surface evenwith the upper edge of the plate 5, giving the appearance of acontinuous plate when the frames are fastened.

It will be noted that the members may be unfastened only by an upwardmovement of member 16, which is a departure from the usual method ofunfastening frames by a lateral movement of the fastening devicerelative to the frame members.

In order to prevent accidental movement of the member 16, one of itswalls is provided with an 5 indentation 23, which frictionally engagesin an aperture 24. on the tab portion 22.

While I have described my invention specifically with reference tooutwardly opening channelled frame members, it is obvious that myfastening device can be readily applied to various other types of framemembers without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also, itwill be noted that the tab 21 may be formed integral with the framemember.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive andillustrative only, and not as restrictive or limitative of theinvention, of which obviously an embodiment may be constructed includingmany modifications without departing from the general scope hereinindicated and denoted in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A bag frame fastener for latching a pair of frame members, comprisinga plate attached to one of the frame members and having a centrallycut-away portion, a pair of links pivotally connected to the plate andmovable in the cutaway portion thereof, a downwardly opening channelledmember pivotally connected to said links and an upwardly projecting tabsecured to the other frame member and adapted to be received within thedownwardly opening channelled member, when the latter is pivotally moveddownwardly, to latch the frame members together.

2. A bag frame fastener for latching a pair of channelled frame members,comprising a plate secured within one of the channelled frame membersand provided with means to space the plate within the channel, saidplate being provided with a centrally cut-away portion, a pair of linkspivotally connected to (the plate and movable in the cut-away portionthereof, a downwardly opening channelled member pivotally connected tosaid links and an upwardly projecting tab secured to the other framemember and adapted to be received within the downwardly openingchannelled member, when the latter is pivotally moved downwardly, tolatch the frame members together.

WILLIAM C. HIERING.

